Mourning into Dancing Session 2

Opening

O Most High and glorious God, who hast made the night radiant with Christ’s true Light, we acknowledge that through sin, darkness entered the world, yet Thy mercy calls us ever into Thy splendor. Grant us a spirit of repentance, that, purified by Thy grace and forgiven through the merits of Thy Son, we may shine with the light of His presence.

Amid desolation, may we trust in His abiding love, which dispels all shadows and guides us through trial with unwavering hope. Inflame our hearts with right faith, firm hope, and perfect charity, that, transformed by Thy grace, we may extend Thy mercy to others.

We give thanks for Thy beloved Son, in whom Thou art well pleased, whose Light no darkness overcomes. Through Him, with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.

Objectives

Participants will communally and individually contemplate that which is destroyed in man by sin, noting that every suffering comes from the deprivation of good that choosing goods apart from other good, particularly without a concurrent goodness of: intention, circumstance, and nature of the action.

Methodology (Volunteer Actions)

Prepare as needed, and the presenting volunteer prepares and delivers a talk on the content of this session, uniting it with personal experience, what one has been taught about the subject/passage from Sacred Scripture or Magisterium, and sharing one's own reflection upon it. Volunteers who are comfortable and gifted with helping someone grieve may lead small groups, participate in prayer teams, and lead one-on-ones. Volunteers who are not gifted or comfortable with doing so may help the priest with adoration, lecturing at the Mass, and arrange rooms according to needs. All assist with clean up according to the parish staff request, and for the sake of tidiness in any case.

Magisterial Content

"As a personal act, sin has its first and most important consequences in the sinner himself: that is, in his relationship with God, who is the very foundation of human life; and also in his spirit, weakening his will and clouding his intellect."

— John Paul II, Apostolic Exhortation Reconciliatio et Paenitentia (2 December 1984), §16.

Consequences of Sin

A. Eternal Consequences - Only God can forgive sin in its eternal aspect.

B. Temporal Consequences (Creation of Suffering Due to Necessary Spiritual Growth and Creation of Suffering Due to the Present State of the World & Others)

• God, in His justice, rarely intervenes to prevent the following effects of sin, which form the primary focus of this discussion:

  • • Effects of Original Sin: Human nature is weakened, making individuals subject to ignorance, suffering, and death.

    • Increased Inclination to Sin: The weakness in resisting temptation is exacerbated (cf. CCC 418).

    • Disordered Desires and Perverse Inclinations: Sin engenders a tendency toward further sin (cf. CCC 418, 1865).

    • Self-Centeredness (cf. CCC 1849).

    • Pride: The formal act of sin pushes God from His rightful place in our lives and replaces Him with our own will (cf. CCC 1849).

    • Loss of Interest in Truth and Moral Formation (cf. CCC 1849).

    • Regret and Remorse: The need to forgive oneself when recognizing the gravity of one's sins, lest one either identify too closely with them or fail to acknowledge their full weight.

Personal Consequences as Victim to Present or Ongoing Realities (Creation of Suffering Due to the Present State of the World & Others):

• As sinners, we suffer the above consequences, but we also endure suffering as victims—both of our own sins and the sins of others. This is the suffering that Christ Himself took on.

• Pain: The memory—both physical and rational—of sin and its damage persists, just as Christ’s wounds remained after His Resurrection. In this way, we join ourselves to Christ, who endured torture.

• Ongoing Struggle: Surrender and forgiveness are the Christian call. Each time we are confronted by the effects of sin (whether ours or another's), we must unite ourselves to Christ’s suffering in both His pain and His love (cf. Robert Spitzer, The Light Shines on in the Darkness, 353–381).

• Loving the Perpetrator: Since we are all sinners, the struggle to love others—especially grave sinners—becomes more challenging. This unites us with Christ, who, despite His wounds, returned saying, "Peace be with you." When faced with the reality of broken relationships, anger and unforgiveness may tempt us. Sometimes, the complexity of fault and blame itself becomes a cross. In such cases, we should repent as if the fault were ours and forgive the other as if it were entirely theirs (cf. Spitzer, The Light Shines on in the Darkness, 251–296).

• Resisting Temptation and the Invitation of Demonic Influence: Matthew 12:29

• Betrayal: Others may reject their call to love us rightly, bringing lasting harm to our interior life. Some may even refuse reconciliation. In these moments, we unite ourselves to Christ, who was betrayed by His friends. When we ask, "What is wrong with me that they did this?", Christ Himself is our answer—we are not unlovable (cf. Session 1).

• A Suffering Reality with Further Consequences: The suffering caused by sin extends into every dimension of life:

Communal / Interpersonal (Creation of Suffering Due to the Present State of the World & Others):

• "Sin, in the proper sense, is always a personal act, since it is an act of freedom on the part of a person and not properly of a group or community. However, this individual may be conditioned, incited, and influenced by numerous and powerful external factors." John Paul II, Reconciliatio et Paenitentia, §16.

• Worldly / Social: Sin affects not only the individual but also society at large, creating social sins such as injustices, attacks on human dignity, and failures of leadership. "No sin, not even the most secret and individual one, exclusively concerns the person committing it. Every sin has repercussions on the entire ecclesial body and the whole human family." (cf. John Paul II, Reconciliatio et Paenitentia, §16).

• Structures of Sin: Sin is perpetuated through systemic injustices, and individuals share responsibility when they participate in or fail to resist these structures (cf. CCC 1869).

• Ecclesial Consequences: "Sin is before all else an offense against God, a rupture of communion with Him. At the same time, it damages communion with the Church." (cf. CCC 1440). The holiness of the Church is greater than sin, yet sin burdens the path of salvation for all (cf. Memory and Reconciliation: The Church and the Faults of the Past, §3.4).

• Cosmic Consequences: The harmony between humanity and creation was disrupted by sin, leading to disorder and suffering. Saint Francis of Assisi’s universal reconciliation with creation serves as a model for restoring this harmony (cf. Francis, Laudato Si, §66).

Scripture Content

Galatians 6:1-3: "My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Take care that you yourselves are not tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ. For if those who are nothing think they are something, they deceive themselves."

The Part of the Christian is taking the suffering without passing it on, through surrender, through unity with Christ, and through fortitude.

Personal Content w/ Example

Particular type of suffering this is helpful consideration for suffering: Due to Necessary Spiritual Growth

Enumerate, using a variety of expressive tones and vivid descriptions, the crosses or brutal experiences you have endured—whether a vindictive breakup or the worst forms of abuse—while maintaining composure so as not to overwhelm the discussion with sorrow. At the same time, be able to speak about and recall God's goodness, recognizing how these experiences were ultimately brought about by sin. Trace their origins back to the first sin and reflect on how they echo that primordial fall.

Participant Interaction

1. Listen: Listen attentively to the talk.

2. Discuss in small groups:

• Due to Necessary Spiritual Growth: How does acknowledging the pervasive impact of sin motivate you to pursue spiritual purification and growth?

• Discuss what effect sin has. Does everyone believe in its reality? Why or why not? What effect does disbelieving in sin produce? What happens when we either reject or accept that sin is possible and that we have sinned against our neighbor? Do we accept the role we play when things go wrong? Even in loss, do we acknowledge that our sin shapes the world as it is and contributes to death as a consequence of our choices? Do we believe that our sin and its consequences are not the end of the story—that there is life beyond that acceptance? How might we thank God for His work in lovingly guiding us toward redemption? How might we thank Jesus for assuming human form and dying for us?

3. Pray:

• Due to Necessary Spiritual Growth: Pray for the grace to recognize and transform the corruption in your life, and ask for the strength to comfort the suffering Christ within you.

• Spend time in prayer contemplating the corruption of your fundamental goodness and how you might comfort the suffering Christ. Reflect on what you would do or say if you met Him at a moment of deep need.

Feedback/Measurable Outcomes

1. A clear picture of the nature of sin and its implications broadly and perhaps in a given situation, making it clear what sin does.

2. Participants feel a sense of remorse for their own sins, especially as may relate to a situation.

3. Participation and authenticity by all.

Closing

1. Our Father...

2. Make announcements and anticipate the next session's content and how it connects.

3. Consider the optional content.

4. Emphasize rest, processing puts much stress on the body.

Optional Content

• Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary